Product category:
Gears, brakes, couplings and engines
News Release from: Eriks UK | Subject: Repair services
Edited by the Engineeringtalk Editorial
Team on 28 October 2002
Practicality rules when choosing a servo
bus
The increased take-up of servo systems in all areas of manufacturing and process industry has inevitably resulted in a rise in the use of fieldbuses to synchronise multi-axis motion control.
The increased take-up of servo systems in all areas of manufacturing and process industry has inevitably resulted in a rise in the use of fieldbuses to synchronise multi-axis motion control There is a wide range of bus options, but the amplifier and system programming complexity can be a hindrance to the machine builder, the user and the party responsible for maintenance, according to Vic Harris, Business Development Director for Industrial Electronics at Wyko
This article was originally published on Engineeringtalk on 18 Feb 2004 at 8.00am (UK)
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Harris's selection criteria are governed by practically as well as performance when it comes to recommending a servo bus, and he sets his store out for Sercos, historically the bus most familiar to control engineers.
"It was introduced in the early 1990s and was probably ahead of its time.
Initial comments on the system were that it was quite costly and not that easy to implement".
As with so many emerging technologies, it has taken a while to catch on, but 14 years later, the one millionth Sercos system chip has just been produced.
The introduction of the new Sercon816 chip is likely to increase take up in the future though, it is less than half the price of its predecessor and offers quadruple the speed capacity.
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As an open system, Sercos in theory allows machines builders to fit Sercos-compatible devices from different manufacturers straight from the box.
The optical link provides a plug-and-play function that allows devices to be simply attached in series, reducing the cost and complexity of wiring and allowing power electronics to be fitted closer to motors, reducing EMC problems.
The reduction in wiring also means, "faster build times and reduced panel sizes.
Machine builders can then spend more time developing and run-testing a machine rather than the programming taking up the majority of design and development time, as is so often the case".
The drive towards standardisation in the servo control layer through Sercos has been shadowed with the need for integrated machine logic and motion control, reducing application effort and cost.
This has been achieved with the IEC1131 standard, which has been adopted by all major equipment manufacturers.
The simplicity of a single programming language to solve an entire application means that IEC1131 ladder logic is a powerful tool for machine control programming.
It incorporates a complete motion instruction set ranging from cam profiling to interpolated motion and allows the on-line editing of a motion control program, reducing development time significantly.
The use of standard IEC1131 ladder logic programming with standard motion control function blocks represents a significant benefit for Vic Harris, "Not only does this allow fast set-up times because engineers are often more able to use this language rather than more advanced languages such as C++ and motion basic, but it can reduce the cost of programming and maintenance because the skill base is more common.
The use of ladder also means there are common building blocks of code available for all types of products and applications making programming even easier".
Deskilling the programming aspect of the machine building process also benefits the end user with faster and lower cost maintenance.
As Wyko has recently become the UK's largest supplier of industrial electronic asset management services, Vic Harris is interested in keeping maintenance fast and simple.
"Maintenance contracts are often operated on a cost-down basis to limit repairs and downtime, so fast servicing benefits the customer as well as the service provider".
"For example, if a component in the Sercos control circuit needs replacing, a spare unit can simply be fitted at the same place and plugged in.
Because the bus is also a carrier for the program, all the information is there for the system to recognise the replaced item, and it will automatically reload the program.
Alternative systems would require individual programming of the replaced device, and/or the operating program to accommodate it.
Both are time consuming and expensive".
Wyko offers repairs on any type of industrial electronic device from drives and machine controllers to servomotors and encoders through over 140 local sales branches.
Wyko also provides contract services to several large food and automotive manufacturers where all industrial electronic repair, stock maintenance and monitoring are carried out. Request a free brochure from Eriks UK ...
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